Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 289: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the progress made in his Department on the roll out of the poverty impact assessment to ensure that all policies are evaluated in terms of their potential impact on poverty and social inclusion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24100/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I am fully aware of the Government's commitment to evaluate all policy proposals in terms of their potential impact on poverty. Both the Sports Capital and Swimming Pools Programmes which have been in existence for some years and are operated by my Department have a strong social inclusion element.

Under the Sports Capital Programme, organisations that can prove they are located in any of the recognised disadvantaged areas of CLÁR, RAPID or in a Local Drugs Task Force Area are awarded extra points under one of the assessment criteria. In addition, applicants from disadvantaged areas only have to provide evidence of 20% minimum local funding as against the 30% requirement for all other applicants. Under the Swimming Pools Programme there is a 90% grant rate for new projects located in disadvantaged areas as opposed to 80% in other areas.

A poverty proofing evaluation of the legislation to establish the National Sports Campus Development Authority was carried out prior to the legislation being brought into effect on 1st January, 2007. The evaluation is integrated into the planning for the Campus.

The National Economic and Social Forum have produced a report "The Arts, Social Inclusion and Cultural Inclusion", presented to Government in February 2007. The report looked at how the arts contribute to cultural and social cohesion and how this could be enhanced further. The Government approved the report's proposal for the establishment of a high-level independently chaired Strategic Committee to consider its recommendations. Progress on the establishment of this committee is being advanced within my Department.